Far From You
by GilandThatz
Summary: Kaoru shares her final moments of life with Yahiko, who has to play the part as the dead Shinta. Character Death


GT: This was inspired after watching Samurai X: Reflections, which was bloody sad and I cried when Kaoru and Kenshin got back together only to have Kenshin die sleeping in Kaoru's lap.  
  
Yahiko watched as Kaoru sat quietly at the riverside. Kenshin had died but still his spirit lingered all around. "You don't have to stand there. I would like it if you were to join me, Yahiko." Kaoru says in a weak, meek voice her once vibrant spirit slowly draining away. Yahiko walks out of the shadows and stands beside the weak shell of the strongest woman he knew.  
"How are you feeling?" He asks trying not to look straight at her as she sat where she was when her beloved husband had died. Kaoru chuckles a little before starting to hack up a storm.  
"You needn't ask that, Little Yahiko." The dying woman says as Yahiko looks at her unbelievingly.  
"I told you not to call me that, a long time ago!" Yahiko shouts as Kaoru laughs at the nineteen-year-old. She smiles softly as he sits down next to her, forcing a smile as she just studies him.  
"Has it really been that long?" Kaoru asks as Yahiko notices her kind, beautiful smile. (So this is what he wanted to see before he left.) Yahiko thinks to himself as the cherry blossoms fall around them, Kaoru forces the unsuspecting Yahiko down, laying his head on her lap. "When he died, it was like this. I wanted to have a cherry blossom party with everyone there, even Sanosuke. And I want still want that, but he won't be there. H-He's gone."  
"No, he's not. He's still here, Kaoru-dono. Even though you might not see him, he's here because you still have your memories. If you remember everything you two went through together, then he's never gone. Can't you still feel him in the air, his essence, his love for you, the friendship he gave to so many, and the forgiveness that he so longed for." Yahiko says calmly as a tear drops on his cheek, rolling down his face.  
"Thank you," Kaoru says crying softly as she runs her hand through Yahiko's soft, black hair. "I'm so glad you came back. I don't ever want this to end, I want to be with you forever, Shinta." Yahiko looks up at her with a smile as she looks blankly at the river. (Just like Kenshin was,) Yahiko thinks to himself, (Sano said he couldn't remember. That he was out of it, before he...)  
"You want to lie on my lap?" Yahiko asks trying to hold back the tears as he was coming to terms with what was going to happen soon.  
"What about you, Shinta? You've had a long journey, you need your rest." Kaoru says as Yahiko sits up and faces her. "Yahiko? Where did Shinta go?"  
"He went to sleep," he says, gently moving Kaoru to lay her head on his lap. "Is everything alright? Do you need anything?" Kaoru just smiles up at him.  
"I'm fine, Shinta." She says as she catches a cherry blossom petal. "I'm so close to you, but still very far."  
"I'll always be with you," Yahiko says, pretending to be Kenshin to comfort her. To be of some use to her, his sensei.  
"I'm so tired, Shinta." Kaoru says as Yahiko looks at the river, trying to hold back the wave of tears building inside him.  
"You just need some rest, Kaoru-dono." Yahiko says in an as close of a Kenshin impersonation as he could. Kaoru forces herself up, wrapping her arm around Yahiko's neck and drawing in for a very intimate kiss.  
"I love you, Shinta." Kaoru says softly as Yahiko just watches as she falls asleep. (Please, wake up.) Yahiko thinks to himself as he watches the river pass by.  
"You know what Kaoru, we'll have a cherry blossom party. And we'll invite Sano, Aoshi, and everyone else. And we'll get drunk and get into fights. And we'll talk about old times and get annoyed at how Sanosuke was an idiot." Yahiko says as tears start to overflow and he hugs the died, still warm woman close to him. "Remember the time we first met and how stupid you always were when it came to matters of life and death. And I'll always remember how...how you saved me. And I'll always be in debt to you for that, and even though I might not be the heir to whatever you had. I'll make sure that everything's taken care of, that Kenji doesn't go off and do something stupid. So you can sleep easy, okay?"  
Sano doesn't say a thing but just runs off to tell the others. "I love you too, Kaoru." Yahiko finally says quietly kissing her forehead as the others run up to them. Tears welling up in their faces, if they weren't already crying.  
  
Did you like it? I'm very proud of this fic so would you please be kind enough to review. Because it would be nice to hear your reactions and comments. 


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